Bedside support



R. MULCAHY BEDSIDE SUPPORT April 6, 1965 Filed Dec? 6, 1965 Ruf/1 Mulcahy lNr/ENTOR.

9 BY wwwa/a@ 3,176,322 f BEDSIDE SUPPORT Ruth Mulcahy, 1909 Washington Ave., Cairo, lll. Filed Dec. 6, 1963, Ser. No. 328,629 Claims. (Cl. 5-92) This invention relates to a novel and useful bedside support and more specifically to a support frame adapted to define a pair of generally parallel and elevated hand rails immediately adjacent an invalids bed with the hand rails projecting away from the bed. By use of the bedside support of the instant invention an invalid may grasp the hand rails defined by the bedside support and utilize lthe rails for support while climbing on or off the bed.

While numerous types of bedside supports have been heretofore designed, the bedside support of the instant invention is novel in that it includes a pair of retractible arm members which are, when in the extended positions, generally horizontally disposed and receivable between the box spring and the mattress of a bed in order that the ksupport stand out only receives support from the door on which it rests but is also held in a position relative to the lbed and against movement across the floor.

The arms or members carried by the bedside support are vertically adjustable and also pivotally supported from the bedside support for rotation about upstanding axes whereby they may be swung from the operative .positions to inoperativeY positions contained within the confines of the support.

. rThe vertically adjustable and horizontally swingable arms of the bedside support include means engageable withthe bedside support for retaining the arms in adjusted rotated and vertically shifted positions and in this 'manner the arms or arm members may be positioned so 'as to conform to substantially all types ofA beds and to cation Without ever being without an artificial means of support, the bedside support assisting the invalid while mounting and dismounting from thebed and the walker being utilized by the invalid during travel to and from the bed. j

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a bedside support including means by which there will be three points of contact between the support and the bed adjacent to which the support is located thereby insuring that the bedside support will be maintained in position against kmovement relative to the bed.

Still another object of this invention is tov Provide a bedside support in accordance with the preceding objects which will be light in weight and which will be easy to install.

A nal object to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a bedside support which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long-lasting and relatively troublefree in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will be come subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of the bedside support yUnited StatesPatent O 3,176,322 PatentedgApr. 6, 1965 of the instant invention shown with the support operative ly associated with a conventional form of bed, the bed being shown in phantom lines;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the assemblage illustrated in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional View on somewhat of a reduced scale taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3--3 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 10 generally designates a conventional form of bed including a headstead 12, a box spring assembly 14 and a mattress 16 which is` disposed over the box spring assembly. v

The bedside support of the instant invention is generally referred to by the reference numeral 18 and includes a pair of side walls 2@ and 22 interconnected by means of a back wall 24. Each of the side walls 20 and 22 comprises an inverted U-shaped tubular member including a pair of depending legs 26 and 28 which are interconnected at their upper ends by means of an integral bight portion 3d. In addition, a pair of horizontal brace members 32 and 34 are secured between the lower free ends of the legs 26 and 2S of *each of the side walls 20 and 22. The lower brace members 34 are spaced above the lower ends of the legs 26 and 23 which are provided with rubber feet 3S.

The rear wall 24 comprises a pair of generally parallel upper and lower horizontal members 40 and 42 which are intercormected between the legs 26 in any convenient manner such as by welding. In additoin, it may be Vseen that the horizontal members 40 and 42 lie in planes containing the brace member-s 32 and 34, respectively.

The stand 13 further includes a pair Yof arms 44 and 46 which are each provided with an upstanding sleeve 4% on one end thereof. Each of the sleevesv 48 is rotatably and slidably mounted on the corresponding leg 26 and provided with a setscrew Si) for engagement with the corresponding, leg 26 wherein the arms 44 and 46 may be retained in adjusted rotated and axially `shifted positions. f v

The free ends of the arms 44 and 46 are also provided with iubber tips 52 and it may be seen that when the stand I8 is in use it is disposed along one side of the bed 1d with the rear wall or back wall 24 extending longitudinally of the bed and abutting against one side thereof. The arms 44 and 45, when in the operative position, extend outwardly from the rear of thestand 18 and are received between the mattress l12 in the box spring 14 in the bed 1t). Whilethe arms 44 land 46k are illustrated in FIGURE 1 of the drawings as being substantially parallel, it may be desirable to have the arms 44 and 46 outwardly convergent or divergent as desired. In any event, the arms may first `be adjusted to the proper height and then rotated as desired and retained in position by use of the setscrews 50. Accordingly, it may be seen that the larms 44 and 46 may be adjusted to suit any height bed.

With attention now directed more specifically to FIG- URE 2 of the drawings, it may be seen that the setscrews 5t) may be loosened and that the free ends of the arms 44 and 46 may be swung toward each other so as to be disposed in overlapped relation with the arms 44 and 46 disposed vertically above and in substantial longitudinal alignment with the horizontal member 40. In addition, the arms 44 and 46 may be swung to a position substantially paralleling and extending along the side walls 2i) and 22. However, the most desirable retracted position of the arms 44 and 46 is the position illustrated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings.

In use, the support stand 18 may be positioned adjacent the bed in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 1 of ing artificialmeans of support at all times. Y f e The foregoing is consideredl as illustrative only of the principles of the invention.. Further, since numerous v the mattress `16 in the Abox spring `14. Then, a patient may use the bight portions 30 of the side :walls 20vandf` l 22 as elevated railings forV supporting'the patient or in- Y i pair Vofv generally parallelQupstanding sidewalls, means valid as he dismo ts from.v the bed or as hre'is mounting thebed.` j l Y As hereinbefore set forth, the support stand of their;-

the drawings with the and 46 disposed between y l, 6; v'The Y combination of-claifnS Vwherein lthe vfront to rear length of each'of saidwside walls is atleast substan- Y tially equal to the length of the corresponding arm.V

7. A'bedside support comprising azframe including a defining an upright back wall extending and secured between one pair of correspondingy ends of said side walls,

stant invention may be utilized in conjunction with a" Y 10 and to move to a remotejlocation and back while havmodications and changes-V will readily occur tot those skilled inthe art, it is not desiredto limit the4 invention toi the exactconstruction and operation shown and described,` and accordingly all suitable modifications and Vequivaler'-1ts may be resortedto, falling kwithin the scope ofthe invention as claimed. Y V- l i What is claimed as new is as follows:

Y 1. .A bedside support comprlsingaI frame including aV pair-of generally parallel upstanding sidewalls, means de'- e yconventional walker-therebyv enabling an YinvalidV to bel* Y self-suiicient and to mount and dismount from the bed saidlside wallsfextending upwardly a considerable distance above the upper end of said back Vwall and includingrgrenerally horizontal'- members extending along y.the

/ i upper ends thereof, said support being adapted to be placedon theo'oradjacent abcd with.said back -wall Y, against* one side .of said bedand said side walls and said Yhorizontal members projecting away from said one side of the bed, said backwall having'V a vertical extent adapted to position the uppermost portionlof atleast a central portion ofY said'back Walla spaced Ydistance below a matiining an upright back wall extending and secured between v one pair rof corresponding'endsfo-f saidside Walls, said side walls; extending upwardly a considerable distance above the upperend of said *back wallzand including genthereof,l said support Ybeing adapted Yto be placedron the .erally horizontal members extending along therllpper endsV i of said bed, said sidewalls and said horizontal members projecting away from said one sideY oi the bed, said back f wall having a vertical extent adapted to position the up permost portion of at least a central portion `of saidr back` wall la spaced 'distance below a mattress on said bed,V Vsaid side walls. being free of brace members extending there-i between forwardly of'said back wall.r i

2. Theccombination of'clairn 1 includingfrr'earwardly."il

" generally projecting horizontal arm-means carried Vbythe Y' rear of `said support frame and adapted to be received between the springrconstructioniand,mattressrof saidb'ed,"* said armrrneans and support framefincluding coacting `5 means mounting said arm meansron said frame-,for movement between an operative rearwardly projecting posi-V tion and in-inoperative .positiondisposed in an Yupright plane generallykjzva'rallelingv andY adjacent vat least lone of said walls andwithzsaid anm means disposed at least-sub-r stantially entirely within .theside outline of1 said one wall.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein` said'coacting the correspondinglegvsaid back wall'including at least one horizontal membery seured betweentherear legs of means also;A include meansvfor vertically -adjustably Ypositioning said'rarm means whenk the latter is in said 'opera-g tive position.

lyzslidable on the'k corresponding leg.l

tress onsa'id bed, saidll sidewalls beinglfree of brace members extending therebetween forwardly ofV said back wall, therearrmarginaljedge kportion of each of .-said side Vwalls comprising an upright cylindrical membeneach of i said -arms including an r,upright sleeve'ponthev end Ithereof secured yto the corresponding sidewall rotatably and axially slidable onthe vcorresponding cylindrical member.

tween thespring constructionland-'mattress of ,said bed, each ofsaid side.walls-cornprising an inverted U-shaped 30' member including-a pair of upstandingV legs intercon- :ne'cted at theirjupper ends/by means of a bight portion dening the ,correspondinghorizontal member, each of saidarms'including'anuprightsleeveon the end thereof securedto vthe' corresponding side lwall rotatablyand? axiale, Y 9'..l The combinationfof Vclaim '8 wherein each. of. said sleeves includesmeans releasably engageable withthe corresponding .legfiorsretaining said sleevesrin adjusted rotated and axially shifted'positions.' v p Y 10.V The combination of claim l1 including rearwardly projectingV` horizontal arm rneansfcanied by the rear of sail support frame andadapted to be received between Vthe springjconstruction Iand mattress of said bed, each of @said side walls comprising an inverted fil-shaped` member includingla pair of upstanding legs interconnected atf their upper'endsgbymeans' ofa bightfportion dening the cory responding` horizontal member, each of said arms includ- 4.` YThe combination of 'daim iinhidingsy rerwrmy' projecting generally horizontal arm means carried by the Arear of said support frame and adaptedto bev receivedbe'f55 -A- tween the spring construction and mattress of` said'rbed,Y

said armV means comprising a pairof arm rnemberst'each secured to la corresponding one of saidV side walls.

Y5. The combination of claim 4'whcrein the rearrnarl' ginal edge portion of each "of said side walls comprises an upright cylindrical member,A eachA of said arms including an upright sleeve on the Vend .thereof secured to the correspond-ing side wall rotatably the corresponding cylindricalmemberf vd l11 l'd b1`V e an -am y s ,a .se '65 FRANKB. sHnRRYrPrimary Examiner. e

ing an Yupright sleeve on the Vend thereof secured to the corresponding .side` wall rotatably and axially slidableron said side Walls and disposed below said sleeves.

References Cited bytheExalninerx: V Y 

1. A BEDSIDE SUPPORT COMPRISING A FRAME INCLUDING A PAIR OF GENERALLY PARALLEL UPSTANDING SIDE WALLS, MEANS DEFINING AN UPRIGHT BACK WALL EXTENDING AND SECURED BETWEEN ONE PAIR OF CORRESPONDING ENDS OF SAID SIDE WALLS, SAID SIDE WALLS EXTENDING UPWARDLY A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE ABOVE THE UPPER END OF SAID BACK WALL AND INCLUDING GENERALLY HORIZONTAL MEMBERS EXTENDING ALONG THE UPPER ENDS THEREOF, SAID SUPPORT BEING ADAPTED TO BE PLACED ON THE FLOOR ADJACENT A BED WITH SAID BACK WALL AGAINST ONE SIDE OF SAID BED, SAID SIDE WALLS AND SAID HORIZONTAL MEMBERS PROJECTING AWAY FROM SAID ONE SIDE OF THE BED, SAID BACK WALL HAVING A VERTICAL EXTENT ADAPTED TO POSITION THE UPPERMOST PORTION OF AT LEAST A CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID BACK WALL A SPACED DISTANCE BELOW A MATTRESS OF SAID BED, SAID SIDE WALLS BEING FREE OF BRACE MEMBER EXTENDING THEREBETWEEN FORWARDLY OF SAID BACK WALL. 